Soldering tool



Apri124,1951 O SCHNEPP f 2,550,090

SOLDERING TOOLv Filed Feb. l2, 1949 i TEN' 7 23 INVENTOR rf/A' f//NEPA ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 24, 1951 SOLDERING TOOL Ottmar Schnepp, Fellbach, near Stuttgart, Germany, assignor to William C. Palmer, New

York, N. Y.

Application February 12, 1949, Serial No. 76,110 In Austria July 20, 1948 2 Claims. 1

-The Vpresent invention relates to :an electric soldering tool which is particularly suitable for small soldering work at places of limited accessibility as is the case in automatic telephone installations, radio land television equipment, the electrical systems of automobiles and aircraft, and the like.

An object of the present invention is the provision of an electric soldering tool having two electrodes protruding from a common holder which tool is characterized by its light weight and pointed pencil-like configuration for performing very delicate soldering operations. In spite of its light weight 'and small diameter the tool is perfectly safe for large current flow for softas well as hard-soldering. It is electrically and heat insulated except for the tips of the electrodes and can be held safely very close to the tips.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a soldering tool of the type set forth above in which the extent of the protrusion of the electrode points from the holder can be conveniently adjusted and the electrodes replaced without diiiiculty.

An object of the invention is the provision of a soldering tool of the aforesaid type in `which the electrodes with insulation therearound form a compact, cartridge-like unit which can easily be inserted into and removed from the holder whereby the plug or cartridge containing the electrodes makes automatically a reliable electric connection with electric terminals disposed permanently in the holder.

The tool according to the invention has no parts which accumulate heat and is therefore fundamentally different from conventional soldering irons. The heat is generated electrically solely at the portion of the lwork where soldering is required and there is no waste of energy or of time for heating other bodies.

`vFurther and other objects ,of the present invention will be hereinafter set forth in the accompanying specilication and claims and shown in the drawings which, by way of illustration, show what I now consider to be preferred embodiments of my invention.

In the drawings: y

Fig. 1 is a side view with parts broken off of the assembledsoldering tool according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the head portion of the tool according to the invention.

Fig. 3 illustrates a cross section through the part shown in Fig. 2, the section being along line III-III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is la longitudinal sectional view of a modified head portion of the tool accordingto the invention.

Fig. 5 is a section on line V-V of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a further modication of the head of the tool according to the invention.

Fig. '7 is a section on line VII-VII of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional View of a fourth modification of the head portion of the tool according to the invention.

Fig. 9 is a section on line IX-IX of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 shows a mank of a part used in the coristruction according to Figs. 8 andr 9.

Like parts are designated by like numerals in all iigures of the drawing.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, numeral I designates a handle made, for example, of wood. A tube 2, preferably made of yaluminum and forming the sheath of the head portion of the soldering tool is inserted in the handle and held therein by a set screw 3. From the free end of tube 2 project the points 4 of the electrodes. An electric cord 5 extends from tube 2 through handle I and projects from the rear thereof and terminates in ak plug `6. Where it emerges from the handle it is protected by a rubber sleeve, coil spring, or the like. The tube 2 is bent to adapt it to the -conditions of the installation where soldering must be done.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate a head piece of the new electric soldering tool. It consists of a tubular sheath 2 into the front end of which a replaceable electrode unit is inserted. This unit comprises a flat insulating member 8 which separates the two iiat electric conductors `9 and insulates electrically as well as thermally. The electrodes 4 are made by longitudinally splitting solid, round carbon sticks into halves and the resultant flat surfaces are individually in intimate contact with the conductors 9. On the outside, the forward ends of the electrodes are rounded. Heat resisting electric insulating material I0 is wrapped around the yelectrodes with the conductors 9 and the insulating strips thereinbetween. Y,

The insulating member `3 withadjacent con-A ductors 9 projects from the rear of the unit and the ends of the electric wires 5 are pulled out' of the front end of tube 2 for connecting the 4wires individually to the conductors 9. Then the unit is pushed into the front end of tube 2 to an eX- tent suitable for the soldering job to be done and held therein by a set screw I I.

The tool is now ready for use. When it is desired to insert a new unit, plug or cartridge, the old 'one is pulled out of tube 2, after loosening screw II, and the wires are cut for connecting the conductors of the new unit.

In the modication of the tool head shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the ends of wires 5 are'permanently connected to a Contact element which is inserted in tube 2 and held therein by a screw I2. The contact element consists of a cylindri` cal part I3 made of heat resisting insulating material and having an aperture of rectangular cross section and undulating?longitudinalseotion. The wire walls of the'aperture are lined with electrically conducting laminae I4 to the rear end of which the Wires- 5 are connected.

The head unit or plug is constructed asin Figs.l

2 and 3 and has two electrodes 4 separated by a heat resisting, flat electric insulating'member 8' which is covered at its broad sides which contactA theflat sides: of the electrodes, by' electrically conductive metal laminae'il'. The width of the rearwardly projecting portion-of the separating member', 9' is somewhat smaller than theinterior diameter vof tubev 2 for insertion'in the aperture in member I3, I4.V Due tothe undulated interior of the aperture a rin contact of the laminae4 9 and I4 is assured. The insulatingfpa'rt Imay be surroundedfby a metal tube I5^= for making it more `resistant to the' pressure of set screw II.

In themodication according to Figs. 4 and 5 theelectrodes can be changed vby loosening screw II and just pulling the plug of which the electrodesare-a/part, outy of tube 2.and inserting a new plug. No cutting `of wires-5 and connectingto the new plug isv required. The new plug is-just pushed into -tube 2v tothe positionmost suitable for the jobat hand--and-xed there by tightening screw II.

Figs. 6 andr? illustrateran arrangementconsisting of Aa plug I'Imade ofheat resisting electrically insulating material andY having a solid cylindrical'rear portion withtwo holes I8 drilled therethrough for receiving wires. 5. From the center of the rear portionaoftheplug a-flat portion I9 extends forward having a cross section somewhat like the letter Z. The wires extending forward from holes IIIV are attened and laid on the fiat surfaces of portion I9] The forwardends of thewires are bent over andembedded inthe forward end of4 portion I9 as seen in Fig. 6. The electrodes #which are shown in Fig. '7 only, are laid with their fiat sides against the dat sides ofportion I9 and held in tube 2 by ller members 2Uof heat resisting insulating'material and preferably having somewhat smaller radii on the inside' than" the radii of the adjacentportion` of the' elecrodes for improving hold. Insteadr of providing separate filler members, these parts may be made integralwith the plug II extending from the rear portion thereof. The plug is held in tube 2 rby a set screw II. In thismodication theelectrodes can be pulledout and inserted individually. If necessary, screw- II may be loosened and member I8, I9 with wires 5 attached pulled forward for removing the electrodes and pushed back with the new'ele'ctrodes.

In thev modication according tovFigs. 8 to 10 metal plates* of a configuration as rshowninvFig'.

10 are inserted with their rear portion 20 in an insulating plug 2|, connected, individually, to wires 5 and separated by an insulating lamina 8" made, for example, of quartz. Plug 2I is inserted in tube 2 and secured therein by putty 22. The forward portion 234 of the electrode holder plate shown in Fig. 10 is bent semicircularly to extend around the electrodes as seen in Fig. 9. Between portions 23 and tube 2 a tubular insulating member 24 is inserted. The electrodes are held in the desired position by set screw II whose' pressurefmay be received by a tin strip 25. The electrodes v-can be removed and inserted individually while' screw II is loosened.

WhilerIvbelievethe above described embodiments of my invention to be preferred embodiments, I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to-be limited to the exact details of design and construction shown and described, for obvi'ous modificationsfwilloccur to a1 person skilled inthe art.

I claim:

1. A soldering tool including a; tubular memF ber, electricV conduits extending into said memberand projectingrearwardly therefrom, anda head unit inserted forwardly into said'tubular member andv comprising an insulating central fiat spacer member, two electrically conductive members each having a flat longitudinal portion placed on opposite sides of said spacer member and having a rear portion connected -to said conduits, .an insulating body surrounding the rear portions'of said spacer member and said conductive members and'iitting into said tubular member,` twoielectrodesy having substantially semicircular' cross section with the fiat sides individually contacting the. flat portions ofsaid conductivemembers, said conductive members each having a longitudinal forward portion extending'individually around .the curved-sides of said electrodes and'holding same in place, and tubular insulating: means adjacentto the inside. of said tubular member and surrounding the semicircularV portions' of said conductive members with the spacer member. therebetween.

2. A soldering .tool as set forth in claim 1, comprising a set screw extending substantially radially through said tubular member toward one of said.. longitudinal forward portions for compressing said conductive members, electrodes and spacer' member and pressing themagainst the opposite interior side of said tubularA member, and a protective member between said. set screw and said tubular insulatingmeans for preventing' damage'thereof. v

OT'IMAR SCHNEPP;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record` inthe le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,862,653 Bean June 14, 1932 1,869,448 Woodring Aug. 2, 1932 2,221,646 McPherson Nov. 12', 1940 2,271,987 Newell Feb. 3, 1942 2,504,338 MacLatchie, Jr. Apr; 18, 1950 

